The state of the fisheries marine research ship RS Africana came under scrutiny at South Africa’s Parliament on Tuesday after it was towed into Simon’s Town at the weekend.
The 30-year-old vessel broke down off False Bay on Sunday, with water in its fuel. At the time, it was two weeks into an important survey of pelagic fish stocks.
The SA Navy took over the management of the fisheries fleet from 1 April this year, after the department’s long-running contract with Smit Amandla Marine to manage and operate the seven vessels was halted by Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson.
An investigation into that contract is currently underway.
Briefing members of the agriculture, forestry and fisheries portfolio committee on Tuesday, the SA Navy’s chief director for maritime strategy, Rear-Admiral Bernhard Teuteberg, tabled a document showing the navy had spent over R16m on repairs to the vessels up to September.
These costs were “in terms of operating, HR [human resources] and repair”, he told MPs.
His colleague, Rear-Admiral Bubele Mhlana, detailed the repairs and maintenance the naval dockyard had carried out to the Africana over the six-month period, including the refurbishment or replacement of numerous valves and seals and other equipment.
Earlier this week, the navy said the poor condition of the fisheries research and patrol vessels meant it had resulted in it taking six months to bring them up to scratch.
At a media briefing in Simon’s Town on Monday, Mhlana was reported as saying that prior to the navy taking over management of the vessels, the department had told the navy that the vessels were seaworthy and in excellent condition.
“But when we received them, the meaning of ‘excellent condition’ was then under question,” he said at the time.
Committee chairperson Mlungisi Johnson said someone had to take responsibility for the navy’s repair and maintenance bill.
On the Africana, he questioned fisheries officials on the service agreement that it – and the department of environmental affairs before it – had with Smit Amandla Marine.
Referring to an inspection of the vessel by committee members earlier this year, he asked: “Is there any recourse on Smit Amandla? Because you have a vessel here that has seriously been ruined, and somebody has to take responsibility.”
Costs had been incurred by the navy that had to be passed over to somebody.
“You have somebody who [has] made use of your asset, and taken no responsibility at all on any depreciation that could have been incurred, whether out of malice, or wear and tear,” Johnson said.
Later, he added: “Smit Amandla cannot get away with murder. Here is a boat that has been run down to a point where nobody takes responsibility, but some taxpayers’ money must be used to repair [it] and nobody takes any responsibility in that regard.”
Fisheries’ plans to “outsource” the management of the vessels when the current agreement with the navy expires at the end of March next year, came under strong criticism from MPs.
According to a document tabled by the department at the briefing, “a new tender process for the management of the… fleet is underway”.
But in the face of the negative response this statement provoked from committee members, acting director-general Sipho Ntombela explained it was only “an option” the department was looking at, and no final decision had been made.
The other option was that the navy continue to manage the fleet.
2012 24.com.